Siren top



O. THORESEN Dec. 14, 1948.

SIREN TOP Filed Oct 3, 1946 i2 jIEZIIENTOR TMW wwad W may Patented Dec.14, 1948 UNITED STATES IATENT DFFICE.

' 4\.Cla1imS. (G1. 46-436) invention pertains to asound producing toytop and more particularly, to a siren top.

'Ith'as beenwan object-of 'my'inventionto provide a new :and improved.iorm of top capable of producing sound during its-rotation.

Another object has been to 'provide a simple,

inexpensive and eificient form of siren top.

A further object has been to provide a top having :at least two par-tscapable of relative motion with respect to each other, having :pas-

sageways therethrough tor producingsound effects, and having -a:relatively low-coeflicient of friction with-respect to each other.

A-st-ill further object has been to devise a to having a low center ofgravity and capable of spinning for-a long period of time.

These and many otherobj-ects of my invention will appear to thoseskilled in the art from the description ofthe exemplary embodimentsthereof, as well as from the appended .-claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 iso side view in elevation of an exemplary formof topillustrating my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the toy top of Figure-1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view in elevation taken along theline.III-IIIof Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an exploded view in elevation of the top shown in Figures 1to 3, inclusive;

Figure .5 is .a top ViBW, partially in section, taken along the line VV.o'fFigure v3;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectionsimila-r to Figure 3, but showing -.amodified form of .my invention;

Figure '7 .is aperspective View in elevation of a vane-element used inthe embodiment of Fig-- ure 6..

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 1 to .5, inclusive,l'have provided a lower bodyorhousing portion 10, an upper-cover bodyportion 15 constructed and arranged .to be rotated .by .a shaft .25. Theshaft '25,,is journaled within the upper and lower .bod flportions i5and ill, see particularlyFig-ures .3 and .5.

As shown particularly .in Figure .3, the lower body portion i isprovided with a rounded off spinner tip or insert -l.l secured theretoand mounted thereon for rotation-therewith, and a series of air passagesor holes 13 about the periphery of side walls thereof. The "upper orcoverlid portion t i-siprovided withdownwardly extending lip portionsshaving va l-removable friction fit with the side Walls oi thetlowerbody portion ill to provide a substantially complete- 1y enclosinghousing .body. An upper .taoe of I 2 the cover portion l5is providedwith-a plurality of air passages or holes it through which fluid mayenter the inside of'the top to produce-sound effects. The center oi thebody 15 is drilled out toreceive the shaft 25 and provided with a hear-*ing housing H which 'may carry ball bearings H3 and an inner sleeverace I9. race 119 is rotatably mounted about portion 21 of the shaft The"upwardly open cup-shaped iIOtOI' portion or element 26 hasana'upwardly; centrally-extending huh-portion 21'] that is drilledouttosecurely receive mounting portions 2 8 and 72.9 of ,thesrotat-ingshaft '25 infisuch a mannerwthat the rotor will -'turn with the*shafty25. The 1'0t0l.1:2l0 is providedmwith upwardlyextending sidewalls that are slightly-spaced apart from the side walls ofthelower-body i0 and have a series of holes or passageways '22 about thepieripheryzthereof, preferably in substantial alignment with the holesl3-0f:. the:body-l-0. v

The rotating stem 25 has a ltmirled portion 26 for winding a string orcord therealoout, a portion .2lthat is rr-otatably carried by :the ballbearing assembly 41, and :a lower 'end tllthat is rotatably carried byathrusnbearing opening in the spinner .-or downwardly projectingtip-element H.

The top may be actuated by winding a piece of string laboutitheaknurledportion 26. Rotation may .bepreven-ted duringthe winding operation byholding theupper portion of the stem 25 or by inserting a pin-orstickthrough apair of registeringpassageways l3 and .22. When the stringis quickly pulled off the knurled portion 216, the .rotor .22 .will have.a high speed of rotation and air will he forced by centrifugal action Ithrough passageways I l-,6 into the inside of the rotor .20., outthrough passageways 22 and $3 to produce a siren-likes0und effect.

Due to the low coefficient :of friction, the top hasa long continued,high ,speed rate of spin. The relative rotation between the rotor 23 andthe outer body 40-. aids the sou-ndefiect. The low center --ofgravity ofthe top increases itseffectiveness and efiicien-cy. Since the shaft25does not directly-engage the floor, but engages it .indirectly throughthe tip-I l, which may .be an integral part of I10 or aninsert, thelength of rotative movement is further enhanced.

In Figures fiend 7,, :Ihave .shown a-modified embodiment of-myinventionin which the parts l0, -.I5 ..and .25 maybe constructed substantiallythe same as inthe previous embodiment.v Howeverplsproyideian additionalelement 31 which,

as shown particularly in Figure '7, has a central mounting hole 32permitting it to fit over the hub 2| of the rotor 20, and outwardlyextending vane supporting portions 33 which cooperate with upwardlyextending walls of the rotor 26, see Figure 6. A series of spaced apart,verticallyupset or upwardly extending vanes or wall portions 34 extendfrom the support portions 33 to provide segregated fluid chambers withinthe rotor 20. The auxiliary eleme'nt3l is preferably mounted so it willrotate with the rotor 20. When used, it increases the weight of the topslightly; it may be employed to change the sound effect by reason of theincreased complexity of the air passages thereby provided,

and also, by turning it about the hub- 2! to change its relativeposition within therotor 20.

In the preferred form of my invention, the element II, the shaft 25, andthe bearing assembly l1 are of metal construction. The other parts, suchas the housing Ill-I5, the rotor 20, and the element 3|, may be of wood,plastic, glass,';or metal construction. Of c'oursait will be apparentthat the immediate bearing surfaces only may be of metal or of anysuitable hard material construction and the other portions may be of anysuitable material.

Referring particularly to the preferred embodiment of my invention shownin Figures 1 to 5 in- .clusive, it will be noted that thesiren' top isprosubstantially centrally thereof to rest upon a surface about whichthe top is to be spun. The rotor shaft 25 extends between-the pair ofhorizontal wall portionsand'is journaled therein. It will be noted thatthe shaft 25 also extends through a horizontal wall portion that isopposite the wall portion-on which thefspin tip Ii is secured. Thecup-shapedinner housing or rotor 20 is open on one of its horizontalsides or faces and is provided witha horizontal wall portion and asubstantially circular-shaped, vertical "wall portion which define asecondary air chamber within the primary chamber of the outer housing.It will be noted that the open horizontalside faces the horizontal wallportionof the outer housing which is provided with thei'spaced-apart,airintroducing holes or passages: l6.

The inner, cup-shaped housing or'rotor 20 is securely mounted onthesha'ft 25forrotation therewith, and for relative rotation withrespect to the outer housing. The side wall portions of both the outerand inner housings of the top are provided with a series of spaced-apartholes or openings l3 and 22 therethrough; and about their respectedperipheries which provide outlets from the secondary air chamber whenthey are in alignment. It will be noted that the holes i3 and 22 areonsubstantially the same horizontal plane, and due to the relativerotation between the inner and outer housings, produce desired sirenesound effects. That is, when the shaft 25 is spun by means of a string.for example, rotation 75 the string winding operation and While thestringis directly imparted to the inner housing 20, and is indirectlyimported through the shaft bearings to the outer housing "3-45. Thesmall amount of friction in the bearings effects rotative movement ofthe outer housing, but at a much slower rate than that of inner housing.Another feature of importance is the low center of gravity of theover-all construction; in addition to its contour, the overlapping,mounted relationship of the top wall portion IS on the side wall portionof the lower half ID of the outer housing is important in thisconnection.

Although for the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shownexemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that various substitutions, subtractions, re-

. visions, and modifications may be made thereto without departing fromthe spirit and scope thereof as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A siren top comprising, an outer spinner housing having a two-partinterfitting construction, said outer housing having a substantiallyvertical sidewall portion and a pair of spacedapart and substantiallyhorizontal wall portions defining a substantially circular primary airchamber therein, one of the horizontal wall'portions of said outerhousing having a series of spaced-apart holes therethrough forintroducing air into said primary chamber, one of the horizontal wallportions of said outer housing having a spin tip rigidly secured theretoand extending substantially centrally-downwardly therefrom; a, rotatableshaft extending between the horizontal wall portions of said outerhousing and being substantially centrally journaled therein, saidrotatable shaft having an upper length extending vertically above thehorizontal wall portion of said outer housing that is opposite to thehorizontal wall portion having said spin tip; a cup-shaped inner housingsecurely mounted on said rotatable shaft within said outer housing, saidinner housing having a horizontal wall portion and'a vertical side wallportion defining a secondary air chamber therein, the side wall portionof said inner housing terminating opposite to the horizontal wallportion thereof in a, horizontal portion open to said primary airchamber, said inner housing being mounted on said rotatable shaft withits horizontal open portion in vertical alignment with and facing thespaced-apart holes through one of the horizontal portions of said outerhousing; the side wall portion of said inner housing having a series ofholes therethrough and in a spaced-apart relationship thereabout andentrant to said secondary air chamber; the side wall portion of saidouter housing having a series of holes therethrough and in aspaced-apartrelationship thereabout and entrant to said primary aircham- 0 ber; the holes through said inner and outer hous -o ings beinglocated on substantially the same hcrizontal plane with respect to eachother to exhaust air from said secondary air chamber when they registerwith respect to each other; said rotatable shaft being constructed andarranged to directly actuate said inner housing and to indirectlyactuate said outer housing through the journaling of said rotatableshaft to rotate said outer housing at a relatively lower speed than saidinner housing.

2. A siren top as defined in claim 1v wherein, the upper length of saidshaft has a knurled portion for receiving a winding string and has asmooth end portion for holding said shaft during 5 is being pulled offsaid knurled portion to spin the top.

3. A siren top as defined in claim 1 wherein, the horizontal wallportion of said outer housing that has the series of spaced-apart holesprovides a top portion for the top and is provided with a ball-bearingrace for journaling said shaft therein, the horizontal wall portion ofsaid outer housing that has the spin tip provides a bottom portion forthe top, said spin tip at one end extends into a central opening in saidlast-mentioned wall portion and is provided with a thrust bearing forjournaling a lower end of said shaft, and the open portion of said innerhousing faces upwardly thereof.

4. A siren top as defined in claim 1 wherein, a vane element is mountedwithin said inner housing for rotation therewith, said vane elementbeing provided with a series of spaced-apart and vertically-extendingwall portions to provide segregated fluid chambers with said innerhousing.

OSCAR THO'RESEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

